1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pipe or tubing cleaners and more particularly pertains to such cleaners specific for preparing sweat soldering joints in copper pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of pipe cleaning brushes is known in the prior art. More specifically, cleaners heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of cleaning pipe are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Most plumbers use hand brushes and/or reamers for preparing copper joints. Suggestions have been made in the prior art for cleaning regular, i.e. steel pipe using powered, rotary brushes for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,604,040; 4,862,549; 3,824,646; 4,667,548; and 3,900,911.
In this respect, the rotary cleaner according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preparing copper joints for sweat soldering.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved cleaners which can be powered and portable. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.